Chapter 3
Janine reached office at 11 am that day, groggy and tired but satiated. The orgasm she had thinking about Jason had given her a fresh glow. Thankfully that had masked her tortured face. The client was already in the room. Her boss was nowhere to be seen. Whew! That’s some major good luck!
She walked in the conference room and made acquaintance with the client. She was a TV star, recently under fire for a drug abuse problem. While she had gone to rehab and done community service, she wanted PWR to her rebrand her self. She was being dropped off from bigger brands and she did not know if the T.V show would hire her for the next season. Janine patiently explained to her process and asked her to calm down.
When Maggie Sullivan, her boss finally walked in, she found both the women giggling. Her relieved expression told Janine that the boss herself was late to work. That was a rare occurrence but thankfully it had happened today and saved Janine’s ass.
Janine spent lunch sitting on her desk, her head down, catching a power nap of 20 minutes.
“Janine.. Janine”
Janine woke up dazed and with start when she felt some body patting her shoulder. It was Maggie, with her lunch bag.
“Is everything alright? You look terrible!”
“Yeah- no, I just didn’t get much sleep last night”
“Noisy neighbors again huh?”
“Yeah. I banged on the door though. They stopped after that”
“Way to go! I told you, all you had to do was knock!”
“Yeaah, though I’m bracing myself for a fight tonight”
“Don’t worry, It won’t happen”
“By the way, good job on the Tami Flors account. I really liked the way you put your ideas across. She ‘s a good girl you, know. Just caught into a bad time.”
“You think so? Thanks! Yeah Tami was so nervous and insecure in the first 15 minutes before you came.. you’d think it was the end of the world!”
“ You look very ill Janine. I know you’re working really hard for the promotion but I do want you to take care of yourself. You know, take the rest of the day off. Go home, sleep. Come back fresh tomorrow.”
Janine looked at her boss. Maggie had been a lovely mentor to her. She was strict yet motherly. Janine admired her. She had balanced work and life so well. She was so practical, down to earth and wise beyond her 35 years. She wanted to be like her.
The elevator door opened to her floor and Janine stepped out yawning.
What she saw made the yawn freeze in mid air.
Jason was on the floor, wheezing and out of breath, His face had swollen and he hadn’t been able to breathe. It looked like a very bad allergic reaction. Janine dialled 911 as she tried to look for her keys to open the door. She ran inside to find an epinephrine injection in the drawer for her emergency allergic reactions. She carefully administered it on his neck while holding him firmly . His pupils dilated after sometime. From afar, Janine could hear the ambulance closing in.
*****
Jason
Jason opened his eyes to the warm sun rays that were falling on his face. He could make out it was morning. Janine’s steady, reassuring,deep blue eyes were the last thing he had remembered.
Where was he?
There was a black mop of hair near his hand. Prettily curled eyelashes surrounded the angelic face that was slightly open mouthed as the lady who owned them slept, lightly snoring.
It was Janine!
He tried to recall what had happened.
After Stacey and he had cleaned up after sex, she had informed him that she had a flight to catch in 3 hours for New York. She told him that she’d be away for a couple of weeks and he was welcome to stay here. She told him it was an impromptu plan with her boss at the art gallery and that they would be touring for quite sometime in New York, looking for local talent that they could steal way to L.A.
He nodded as she kissed him. It was good that they were getting some space, Jason thought in his head.
It would give him some time to work on what he had actually come to L.A. for and then of course, he could try to talk to the girl next door.
He had taken a warm, long bath after Stacey left. She had said that she had ordered some prawns for lunch, because she knew he loved them.
His stomach rumbling, he went to the kitchen and warmed the packed goods.
He sat down to have them. He looked around him.
Stacey’s apartment was cozy but quite messy. She had not kept the dishes in the dishwasher again last night. The kitchen sink was full of stinking old dirty utensils.
He hated how messy she could be.
He munched on the prawns and rice she had ordered from the Thai place they liked.
He walked around to the balcony in his boxers and no shirt to gaze at the wonderful Stacey free fortnight he would have.
Jason had grown up at the trailer park. His brothers were all meth junkies like his dad. His mom had died when he was 15 years. His dad and brothers had been quite the bullies and had made his life hell after mom died. His dad had been violent too. They used to call him a sissy and faggot all the time and had laughed at anything new and fruitful he would want to do. They said he’s never rise up. Jason thanked his stars that his mom had ensured that he stay away from drugs.